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A while ago,
The sun cast its warm rays upon the summer hut where the group had gathered outside Duke Philip's estate. The air was humid, and the world was white with snow, as it was winter.
Adriana, the one who triggered this winter, sat at the table, surrounded by documents and papers, while Reynolds leaned back in his chair with a bored expression. He'd occasionally fix his eyes on the papers as if trying to absorb the information through osmosis. Duke Philip sat at the far end of the table, humming a tune. Eden stood behind Rey, who was lounging in his chair, with a faint smile playing on his otherwise poker face.
Adriana had just finished giving a small gist of what they had to deal with since her brother nagged her to do it.
Rey let out a wide yawn, stretching his arms above his head.
"The Khaos Nocturni, huh? That's what you've been up to?" he asked, his tone dripping with boredom. "Sounds so... dull."
Eden's gaze snapped to Rey, her eyes narrowing in disapproval. "Manners," he hissed, his voice low but firm.
Rey pouted, his lower lip jutting out. "This is my house, Eden. I can say what I want."
Just then, Marline, the maid, approached the table with a tray of steaming tea. "May I pour you some tea, milords and milady?" she asked, her voice polite.
Adriana nodded. "Thanks, Marline," Adriana said as Marline poured her a cup. The maid offered Eden a cup, and Eden politely accepted and took a sip. Once done, she went to stand behind the Duke, distancing themselves from the group. The conversation continued.
Adriana looked up from her papers, a hint of annoyance in her eyes. "What's with that reaction? You were the one who asked to know what we were doing."
Rey's expression changed from boredom to curiosity. "Yes, I did. But this whole Crime Lord and Khaos Nocturni business... it's a bit far-fetched, don't you think? Sure, there's a dark side to society, but I don't see them having such an organized outfit or having actual authority over normal people."
Adriana leaned forward as she took a sip of tea and studied a magic circle on a piece of parchment. "That's exactly why what we're doing is necessary. We don't know enough to come to a conclusion, but the Moonshades sent this information before they went silent. If you look at it in relation to the operation of the world, it's a possibility. Even if it is far-fetched, we still need to question what caused them to disappear in the first place."
Rey raised an eyebrow. "You think our uncle, King Gorges, is being controlled by some... King of Depravity or whatever?"
"Not our uncle, necessarily. But what about the nobles that serve him? What about the other dukes of Archadia? With the Federation system of government causing each province to become more independent and disconnected from the rest, that possibility exists."
Duke Philip set his cup down, his eyes thoughtful. "While your thought process is logical, I can't just let you suspect my siblings without more concrete evidence."
Adriana turned to her father. "If we want to do what we're doing and continue keeping the people safe, we need to be as open-minded as possible. We can't afford to dismiss the possibility out of hand."
Rey chimed in, his voice tinged with a hint of resentment. "Besides, Father, it's not like the other dukes have been exactly... supportive of us. They took away your right to the throne just because of Mother."
Duke Philip's expression softened, and he looked at his children. "Would you rather things be different, my children?"
Rey and Adriana exchanged a glance and then shook their heads in unison. Rey spoke up, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I couldn't put up with royal life. I wouldn't end up as spoiled as Billiam though, but I wouldn't exactly be as... mannered as I am today."
Adriana's smile was serene. "If things were different, I wouldn't have met Kojo."
Rey nodded vigorously. "Same here. I like things the way they are."
Duke Philip's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I see." He took a sip of his tea.
Rey turned to Adriana, his expression turning petulant. "So, what's my role in all this? I'm being underutilized, you know. You're all getting to do the fun stuff."
Adriana's eyes sparkled with amusement. "What role? You're not getting involved in this, brother. It's too... complicated."
"Complicated? I'm perfectly capable of handling complicated. You're just not giving me anything to do," Rey said confidently.
Adriana looked at him. "While Lin and Kojo are at Ezkanur, Sasha is in Gwaltch working with Kamau on the relations between the goblins and our people since the just-ended goblin war. Koniko is in Carnelia overseeing the train track construction. Meanwhile, I'm aiding Lloyd in his Mystium Engineering research, and Sharone is correlating the information we're getting. This isn't exactly something that we're doing for pleasure."
Rey's ranting died down, and he looked at Adriana with a hint of sheepishness. "Well, when you put it that way... But still, I feel like I'm being left out."
Adriana's smile was gentle. "You're not being left out, brother."
Eden set the cup down, his eyes locked on the group as he politely asked, "If I may make a suggestion?" The group's attention shifted to him, and Duke Philip nodded, his expression encouraging. "Please, go ahead, Eden."
Eden's gaze swept across the table, his voice calm and collected. "Since the Moonshades... vanished, why don't we let Reynolds do the infiltration instead?"
Rey's eyes widened in incredulity, his face scrunched up in distaste. "Are you crazy?" he exclaimed. "Infiltration? Me do infiltration? Why should I risk my life and infiltrate a place that people trained in the actual art of infiltration couldn't infiltrate? Wait, I feel like I'm saying the word 'infiltrate' too much. Anyway, it further emphasizes my dislike for the idea."
Eden's expression remained serene, his voice unwavering. "That's exactly why. It's part of his training. Reynolds has been honing his skills. He's quick-witted, resourceful, and has a talent for getting out of tight spots."
"Huh? And who got me into those spots in the first place?" Rey asked, giving Eden a side-eye.
"And that's why you think he should do it?" Duke Philip asked, his tone still laced with doubt.
"Yes. Despite his lackluster abilities and lack of discipline, I believe he can do it. And I'll be going with him, so there's no need to worry. Not that there should be, considering he's an expert at running away."
Adriana's eyes sparkled with interest as she considered Eden's proposal. She glanced at her father, her expression thoughtful. Rey, on the other hand, looked at the Duke with pleading eyes, hoping his father would disagree.
Duke Philip's expression was measured, his voice calm. "While I wouldn't want my children to be out in harm's way, they've shown that they're fully capable of handling whatever is thrown at them. So, I don't see why not."
Rey's face fell, and he let out a disappointed groan. Adriana's lips curled up in a mischievous smile as she turned to Rey. "Be careful what you wish for, brother," she said teasingly. Rey just glared at her.
"Okay then, I think I have the perfect role for you," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.
Rey's eyes narrowed, his tone wary. "What is it?"
Adriana's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with mirth. She put her finger on her lips. "Shhhh."